Battle Cruiser: Lost Colonies, Book 1

One starship will either save Earth or destroy her. A century ago our star erupted, destroying Earth's wormhole network and closing off trade with her colonized planets. After being out of contact with the younger worlds for so many years, humanity is shocked when a huge ship appears at the edge of the solar system. Our outdated navy investigates, both curious and fearful. What they learn from the massive vessel shocks the planet.

Star Carrier: Lost Colonies, Book 3

Earth builds her first war fleet! The greatest warships ever constructed in known space rise up one by one, soon dominating our skies. They strike fear into the hearts of every citizen and rebel colonist alike. Captain William Sparhawk, the very man who convinced the secretive Council to build this terrifying fleet, now has doubts about the project. What is their exact mission? How could anyone have built these huge ships so quickly? And, most puzzling of all, what's happening out at the isolated laboratory complex on Phobos, Mars' lopsided moon?

The Lost Patrol: Lost Starship Series, Book 5

Maddox and the crew are on their own, facing perils inside the ship and terrifying alien dangers outside in one of the remotest regions of the Orion Arm. Then they stumble upon the darkest secret of all. Unless the A.I. Galyan, Meta, Sergeant Riker and the others can help their beleaguered captain, Victory is doomed and Earth will never learn of the terrible threat gathering in the stellar darkness.

Steel World: Undying Mercenaries, Book 1

In the 20th century Earth sent probes, transmissions, and welcoming messages to the stars. Unfortunately, someone noticed. The Galactics arrived with their battle fleet in 2052. Rather than being exterminated under a barrage of hell-burners, Earth joined their vast Empire. Swearing allegiance to our distant alien overlords wasn't the only requirement for survival. We also had to have something of value to trade, something that neighboring planets would pay their hard-earned credits to buy. As most of the local worlds were too civilized to have a proper army, the only valuable service Earth could provide came in the form of soldiers....

The Lost Colony: Lost Starship Series, Volume 4

We fought the invading New Men to a standstill and defeated the alien destroyer sent to obliterate Earth. The worst should be over, but it's not. Perfect android replicas are impersonating high-level officials so trust is failing. Worse, the New Men have found allies with an impenetrable stealth technology. This time, however, Earth is going on the offensive. Admiral Fletcher is headed to C Quadrant with a Grand Fleet. He's to liberate the captured planets and find the enemy homeworld.

Blood of Heroes: The Ember War, Book 3

The Xaros, a galaxy-wide scourge of murderous drones, have their sights set on the planet Takeni. Captain Isaac Valdar volunteers his ship to defend the innocent civilians and evacuate everyone he can. Pressed by an alien fleet in space and a horrifying foe on the surface, the Breitenfeld must risk everything to save the doomed populace.

The Ember War: Publisher's Pack, Books 1-2

The Ember War, book 1: The Earth is doomed. Humanity has a chance. In the near future, an alien probe arrives on Earth with a pivotal mission: to determine if humanity has what it takes to survive the impending invasion by a merciless armada. The probe discovers Marc Ibarra, a young inventor who holds the key to a daring gambit that could save a fraction of Earth's population. Humanity's only chance lies with Ibarra's ability to keep a terrible secret and engineer the planet down the narrow path to survival.

Counterstrike: Black Fleet Trilogy, Book 3

Captain Jackson Wolfe never thought he'd see the end of the Phage War in his lifetime. The enemy was too powerful, too numerous, and utterly determined to exterminate humanity. But the appearance of a new ally in the fight has changed all of that. For the first time since the original incursion, Wolfe thinks that maybe there's a chance to stop their implacable enemy before they have the chance to wipe out any more human planets.

The Siege of Earth: The Ember War, Book 7

Only an ember of humanity survived the first Xaros invasion. Now the Xaros return to deliver the final blow to Earth and her defenders. A moon carrying an armada of Xaros drones unleashes its deadly cargo on the solar system. Fortress Mars stands between the enemy and an ill-defended Earth. While the battle rages over the red planet, the Breitenfeld must launch a desperate mission to Pluto to cut off enemy reinforcements. Earth stands on the brink of ruin, and humanity needs every hero it can find to turn back the tide of destruction.

The Battle of the Void: The Ember War, Book 6

The Xaros drove humanity to the edge of extinction. Now, an immense alien fleet is on the way to Earth to end the human race. Earth's defenses are in shambles. The planet needs time to ready for the next invasion, time it doesn't have. The Xaros are en route to Earth, and it will take a daring mission to buy Earth the chance it needs to survive the next attack. While a fleet of brave men and women prepare to face down the Xaros, the Breitenfeld travels to an ancient world where the key to ultimate victory lies buried beneath the crimes of the enigmatic Malal.

The Silver Ships: The Silver Ships, Book 1

An explorer tug captain, Alex Racine detects a damaged alien craft drifting into the system. Recognizing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make first contact, Alex pulls off a daring maneuver to latch on to the derelict. Alex discovers the ship was attacked by an unknown craft, the first of its kind ever encountered. The mysterious silver ship's attack was both instant and deadly.

Swarm: Star Force, Book 1

Kyle Riggs is snatched by an alien spacecraft sometime after midnight. The ship is testing everyone it catches and murdering the weak. The good news is that Kyle keeps passing tests and staying alive. The bad news is the aliens who sent this ship are the nicest ones out there.

Warship: Black Fleet Trilogy, Book 1

In the 25th century, humans have conquered space. The advent of faster-than-light travel has opened up hundreds of habitable planets for colonization, and humans have exploited the virtually limitless space and resources for hundreds of years with impunity. So complacent have they become with the overabundance that armed conflict is a thing of the past, and their machines of war are obsolete and decrepit. What would happen if they were suddenly threatened by a terrifying new enemy?

Earth Defiant: The Ember War, Book 4

Betrayed by allies. Beset by new foes. Earth faces its darkest hour since the Xaros invasion. The Toth come to the solar system with a fleet of warships, and they demand the only tool that can rekindle the human race. It falls on Marine Lieutenant Hale to negotiate a pact that will save the human race at the cost of its soul - or start a war with a race of alien predators.

The Lost Starship

Ten thousand years ago, a single alien super-ship survived a desperate battle. The vessel's dying crew set the AI on automatic to defend the smashed rubble of their planet. Legend has it the faithful ship continues to patrol the empty battlefield, obeying its last order throughout the lonely centuries.In the here and now, Earth needs a miracle. Out of the Beyond invade the New Men, stronger, faster and smarter than the old. Their superior warships and advanced technology destroy every fleet sent to stop them.

The Gardens of Nibiru: The Ember War, Book 5

The supreme Toth overlord, Mentiq, rules his species with an iron fist from his fortress on the planet Nibiru. The first overlord surrounds himself with decadent treasures and the galaxy's deadliest warriors to protect his dominion from treachery and attack. Armed with stolen Toth technology, the Breitenfeld travels to the world with a single mission: assassinate Mentiq and end the Toth threat to Earth. Armed with stolen Toth technology, the Breitenfeld travels to the world with a single mission: assassinate Mentiq and end the Toth threat to Earth.

Koban: Conflict and Empire

The Galactic Federation is confronted by the vast and implacable Thandol Empire, which has coveted the former Krall region of space for eons, a region of space now occupied and claimed by the upstart Kobani. Outnumbered, they face an opponent who possesses new and deadly weapons. An enemy that had thousands of years to develop the means to take on the Krall Empire, and now present the supermen with a weapon that turns their greatest genetic asset into their greatest weakness.

Mech Zero: The Dominant

Death awaits the curious! Out along the rim of the galaxy hangs a loose configuration of some 60 stars known as the Faustian Chain. This whorl of sparkling suns is rich in planets and occupies an irregular volume of space some 20 light years in diameter. From an external viewpoint, the Chain presents a colorful display of plasma-streams, luminous nebulae and sparkling pinpoints of light.

We Are Legion (We Are Bob): Bobiverse, Book 1

Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it's a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street. Bob wakes up a century later to find that corpsicles have been declared to be without rights, and he is now the property of the state. He has been uploaded into computer hardware and is slated to be the controlling AI in an interstellar probe looking for habitable planets.

The Black Sheep: A Learning Experience, Book 3

In the wake of Earth's collapse into chaos, Captain Hoshiko Stuart made the mistake of speaking her mind - and was exiled six months from Sol to a naval base in an unexplored and uncontacted sector. Placed in command of a single squadron of starships, she expected nothing but boredom. But when she discovers an alien race threatening to exterminate all other races within the sector, Hoshiko and her squadron are drawn into a war to stop them.

At the Sign of Triumph: Safehold, Book 9

The Church of God Awaiting's triumph over Charis was inevitable. Despite its prosperity, the Charis was a single, small island realm. It boasted less than two percent of the total population of Safehold. How could it possibly resist total destruction? The Church had every reason to be confident of a swift, crushing victory, an object lesson to other rebels.

Hard Lessons: A Learning Experience, Book 2

Fifty years after Steve Stuart and his friends captured an alien starship, the Solar Union is a thriving interstellar power while Earth is increasingly backward and falling into barbarism. For two youngsters from Earth, the Solar Union offers the only chance they will ever have to make something of their lives.

A Learning Experience, Book 1

When a bunch of interstellar scavengers approach Earth intending to abduct a few dozen humans and sell them into slavery in the darkest, they make the mistake of picking on Steve Stuart and his friends, ex-military veterans all. Unprepared for humans who can actually fight, unaware of the true capabilities of their stolen starships, the scavengers rapidly lose control of the ship - and their lives.

Sol: The Silver Ships Series, Book 5

Sol's warships paid the ultimate price for threatening the Haraken and New Terran worlds. Now, Haraken president Alex Racine and his Méridien partner, Renée de Guirnon, are engaged in a desperate gamble to stop a war between their worlds and United Earth's (UE) massive forces before it starts. What's Alex's grand plan? He hasn't a clue, but his people believe in him and hope he will find a way to protect them.

Publisher's Summary

Captain William Sparhawk flies Earth's single starship on a voyage of exploration. His crew of veteran spacers begins the mission with high hopes and the best of intentions, but the universe has other plans. Instead of space merchants and potential allies, they discover Earth's impending doom. Sparhawk must decide whether to hunt down enemy scouts to keep Earth's new starship a secret or to head home to warn Star Guard of the danger. Either way, he's ignited an interstellar war.

Dreadnought, the second book of the Lost Colonies Trilogy, is a novel of military science fiction by best-selling author B. V. Larson.

can't wait for book three, full of intrigue and gives us a view of what life would like if the dark ages plunge into barbàrism like the earth feel into at the gal of Roman civilisation in a fast of great space exploration!

I am a BV Larson fan who greatly enjoyed the Star Force Series and other works. This story and character is extremely juvenile in its writing and interactions. The main characters understanding of honor and his reactions to the environment is frankly ridiculous. The author's sexual encounters of military officers is also ridiculous. It seems that the captain always has to give an order two or three times before its followed. Maybe this was an early work because BV writings have not been so bad as this.

I don't normally listen to books a second time unless they are really something special. Don't get me wrong, this is a great listen. But if I do decide to listen to this again it will be down the road. I am very happy I listened to this book though and look forward to more in this series if they are written.

What other book might you compare Dreadnought to and why?

This book and the one before it remind me of the style of Heinlein with a little Keith Laumer thrown in. It has the classic Sci Fi I love and a little humor thrown in.

What does Edoardo Ballerini bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I was able to keep the characters apart, that is the most important thing a narrator must do. His voice was just right to bring the story to life.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I seldom have extreme reactions to books. I enjoy being in the story and feeling like I am there. Although I may have chuckled a few times. :)

Any additional comments?

Keep em coming. I really like the style and the story. Very believable.

While I liked the book and will follow the series, I can't stop thinking of Vaughn Heppners's "Lost Starship", just about the same characters. Young officer with an old sidekick, a strong woman and yes, swords in space....Am I the only one drawing parallels here?

great story . well read . highly recommended. can't wait for next one . great listen .

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

S. Morris

London, UK

5/29/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Flash is Back!"

Having read the first in this series of stories by B V Larson entitled BattleCruiser, I was in two minds whether to get the second instalment,Dreadnought. I found the first story quaint and charming in itself but feltit lacked the hard edge I'd come to enjoy in Larson's other sagas like theStar Force and undying Mercenaries books. I felt that Battle Cruiser wasbetter suited to perhaps the slightly younger reader and afforded anexcellent path into the world of accessible science fiction for which Larsonis so good at producing. Although enjoyable, I couldn't say I found thefirst in this series particularly satisfying but nonetheless I decided tosee what came next to see if things improved at all.

Dreadnought picks up where Battle Cruiser left off. We have all the familiarcharacters plus a diplomatic envoy to which I will come to later. Thissecond book is also narrated by Eduardo Ballerini which is good from theconsistency standpoint and now he has been established in the first book itmakes sense to continue with him on the second. Don't get me wrong,Ballerini is an excellent speaker able to deliver flawless, crisp dictionand able to do several voices although without the range of Mark Boyett whois used for other Larson books. he voices the Sparhawk character just asclipped and almost staccato in delivery at times which is probably my maingripe with the way this character is voiced. Now, it might be that theauthor has some influence on how he'd like certain characters narrated whichwould mean this is how he wanted Sparhawk to sound but I find this somewhatsilly. This, combined with some of the terse dialogue traits Sparhawk hasmakes him sound like a private school head master from somewhere aroundthe1930's. His command style seems rather brash at times which also lendshim the feel of a Flash Gordon type hero which is a little hard to swallowfor a novel written in the 21st century. Again, this may be intentional onthe part of Larson and he may want to endow this character with the ratherquaint and perhaps old fashioned attributes for good reason, I don't know.It could just be that a lighter type of story was preferred by Larson tocontrast his more usual writing style.

I found Dreadnought to be a story of two halves in a way. I found myselfenjoying the second half of this book more than the first part. The openinghalf of the story was of a similar ilk to the previous book but did pick upin the second part. Either that or I just got used to Sparhawk and companyand went along with the flow with a more open mind, I don't know. I havefound that sometimes a new series can often have a shaky start. I feltthis way about the Star Force series from Larson but by the third book ofthat saga I was hooked.

Larson has penned the rather typical diplomatic envoy character that isusually in conflict with the captain, William Sparhawk and seems to do thatusual thing that diplomats seem to do in science fiction at least where theyare far too trusting of new aliens. Ballerini plays this character well Ihave to say.

There was one of those weird plot inconsistencies I noticed which saw theBattle Cruiser Defiant apparently have some difficulty facing down a halfdozen or so Stroge ships and yet in the previous book prior to the upgradesput into place since the first book, the Defiant was able to take outhundreds of enemy ships. Probably just me missing something but a point Ithought worth mentioning.

Also, the Stroge appear to be a combination of Borg and Herrogen from StarTrek. They use cybernetic implants but also take trophies of human organstoo so I think I can see where Larson has drawn his inspiration from withthese characters.

Overall Dreadnought is a decent listen which picks up from around half way.More hardened Larson fans may not like this "softer"series but Larson alwayshas the ability to weave a good yarn so this is an easy read that willappeal to a broad audience I think.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

D. Bisbey

Lichfield, Stasffs

5/12/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Good follow on from Battlecruiser"

What did you like most about Dreadnought?

the book took the universe of the lost colonies even further and added more conent

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dreadnought?

Alien encounters

What about Edoardo Ballerini’s performance did you like?

Very good, not a problem.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Captain and the Beta's encounter!

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

dave h

3/17/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"brilliant"

Amazing plot, better narrator. Cant fault it at all. hurry up with the next one!

One of my favourites to date. ....

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

S. Griffiths

London

12/6/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Such a wonderful narrator"

The fantastic and familiar twists and turns of a B V Larson plot are get wings here by the marvellous readings of Edoardo Ballerini. Sonorous and versatile, listening to Ballerini narrate is like listening to music, and you miss it when it's gone.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Gary

11/28/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"great"

yes another good listen . this series great for my long commute! classical sci fi .

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

bigdee

11/18/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"part 2 "

loved it plenty of action and sex in space with twist and turns next please!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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